I Think This Sums it up Pretty Well.

This was a Post on Sioux Sports.Com

Fans of this program go into every season expecting to win every game, and ending up in the Frozen Four. We expect to bring in top-flight talent, and have them perform every game, for a full 60 minutes. It's the way it is, and it's the type of thing that sets better programs apart from the rest. We do not settle for mediocrity, sorry-ass excuses or losing seasons. Leave that to other programs. Most fans of this team are very hockey savvy, and alot of the comments made here and at REA, while they may make you cry, are made with the expectation that we should win every f'ing game played, especially in our own barn. Even if this team had no losses, and was winning by 6 point margins every night, we would still critique the team, the coaches, the ice, the refs, the crowd, etc. Moreover, few things irritate me more than certain posters engaging in the mental masturbation of accusing other fans of being "fair weather" or "bandwagon jumpers" when they express their frustration with this team, engage in debates about certain players or otherwise coach from the couch.

It would be an understatement if I said there had been some negativity this past week over on SiouxSports.com. Because there has. However, most of the criticism pointed in the direction of the Fighting Sioux hockey team is justified. What is happening on the ice is not Fighting Sioux hockey. What happening on the ice maybe be acceptable at other schools but this is NOT ACCEPTABLE AT UNVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA. But I digress; sugar coating this past weekend effort makes it worse. I read where were one fans said lets look at the positive. Yep your right lets look at how Robbie Bina scored a beautiful big goal during a crucial time in the game only to have that effort pissed away by stupid penalties and poor goaltending.

Fair Weather Fans

As a fan I can’t accept what I have seen on the ice so far, this is not Fighting Sioux hockey. On the flip side of that criticizing the Fighting Sioux hockey team does not make you a fair weather fan either, people that are suggesting this are dead wrong. In fact they are being moronic. Most of us hard-core fans (like myself and my buddies) will be sitting in the stands long after the fair weather fans have gotten off their hands and vacated the arena or simply have left the REA bars in the arena after the second period. That is fine with me, let the fair weather fans leave and make some room for the people that actually want to watch the game.

Are You A Fair Weather Fan?

When I say fair weather fans, you know the ones. These are the fans that are chatting on their cell phones will we are trying to watch the game, these are the fans that are standing in the bar when we game is going on. These are the ones leaving the game with 12 minutes to go in the third period. Who needs them? Let them give up there tickets to people that actually want to see a hockey game in the best arena in college hockey.

It Takes 60 Minutes to Win A hockey Game

Last weekend the Fighting Sioux hockey team failed to play 60 minutes of hockey each game and was incidentally swept by the Wisconsin Badgers in a crucial WCHA series. The Fighting Sioux took knuckle headed penalties at the wrong time and got horrible goaltending from Phil Lamoureux. Someone on the coaching staff needs to face facts and sit Phil down hand him the clipboard and tell him this is where he is going to be sitting until he is needed again. Being bench has happened to Sioux goaltenders with better numbers than the ones Phil is sporting right now, can we say Toby and Jake. Hell I would take Jake back right now. He played a lot better than this. The Fighting Sioux coaching staff need to realize it time to do an extensive search for a goaltender that can play, someone like Jordan Parise they can build the team around. Possibly someone has to split time with Grieco next season and establish himself as the starting goalie of the future.

Phil Is No Jordan Parise

If you look at the Goaltending issues of the Fighting Sioux, there are a lot of problems that need to be addressed. It is very apparent that the Fighting Sioux miss super star and all world goalie Jordan Parise, and coach Brad Berry. The kid was an awesome goalie who only got better as the season wore on. Phil is nowhere near the goalie Jordy was. Last season I heard grumbling last season on how some of the fans has said that Phil had not been given a fair shake and that Parise didn’t deserve the starting position. Wow, were those fans way off the mark.

There have been discussions on how Grieco play hasn’t been very good. There has been a lot of discussion on how the young goalie leaves huge rebounds and gives up soft goals (and he has), and that Phil was the much better goaltender of the two. I am going to cut Grieco some slack because he is freshman and will probably get better; I have seen some amazing moves out of this kid, he has, however let in some really weak goals at crucial times. Ala the game in Anchorage comes to mind. On the flip side; Phil is supposed to be the starting goaltender of the Nationally Ranked Fighting Sioux. The time has come for Phil to drive the team to national prominence. The only thing Lammy has done is backstop a team to the bottom of the standings and out of the national rankings. Now UND is in jeopardy of missing the playoffs sitting on the wrong side of the PWR/RPI rankings with a losing record. Not acceptable. Letting in 4 or more goals in 8 games this season. UND has given up four goals or more for three out of the last four games. Winning only one game.

Neither goaltender’s efforts have earned them another start but someone has to play, I guess we could play Walski but I don’t see him playing any better than the other two since he is the practice goalie. In Grieco’s defense he is a freshman and has played just as well or better than Phil in my opinion. Lets break down the numbers: Grieco has actually got 7out of a possible 12 points, while Phil has got 2 out of a possible 12 points, that is not good even using Gopher math. Phil is supposed to be the starting goaltender and he hasn’t proven he deserves to have that title. If I had to rate the Sioux’s effort this past weekend I would rank it a 5/10. There were glimpses of greatness followed by piss poor efforts, mental breakdowns kill us every game. These mistakes must end or we will be sitting in the bottom of the standings watching the Gophers skate away with another WCHA title.